1
as in played
to engage in activity for amusement
he spent his college years dallying, seemingly determined to acquire as little knowledge as possible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lingered
to move or act slowly
don't dally on the way to the interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in dawdled
to spend time doing nothing
I kept dallying at my desk until I couldn't put off doing my work any longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dallied
The full-backs, meanwhile, took their time from throw-ins, ensuring team-mates behind the ball were secure and Emiliano Martinez, who produced a second spellbinding save in as many visits to Nottingham, dallied from goal kicks.
—
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dallied
Verb
-
Curry played in five games after surgery to repair a broken second metacarpal.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
-
Nobody had seen a second round playoff game played in Minnesota in more than a decade.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
And while the night sweats and the respiratory stuff cleared up pretty quickly, the fatigue lingered for two and a half weeks.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
His oblique muscle strain lingered longer than initially anticipated.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Apparently being budgeted in the $70M range, the buzzy project has attracted Matthew McConaughey, Pedro Pascal and Austin Butler and has been flirted with by studios over the years.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
-
In 2025, the timing of the Cannes dress code announcement allowed a few rebels to get around the new rules—from Heidi Klum and her dramatic ruffle train to Bella Hadid, whose daring split dress also flirted with the limits imposed by Cannes protocol.—
Blanche Marcel,
Vanity Fair,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.—
Thomas Black,
Twin Cities,
21 Dec. 2025
-
Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Four years later — after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.—
Pat Graham,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
-
Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron forecasts only a 35% chance for good conditions at the launch site Tuesday, which increases to 65% on Wednesday and 85% if delayed to Thursday.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
The singer’s lawyers had initially pushed for an immediate preliminary hearing — in which a judge determines if prosecutors have enough evidence to bring a case to trial — but have since backed off and delayed the process.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The fluffy black dog lounged on a dog bed near the couch in Landowski’s living room during an interview with the Star-Telegram.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
-
While posing for a photo in 1955, Monroe lounged on a carpet in a red brocade gown and black leather gloves.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Chinese firms have dragged their feet in purchasing the chips after the Chinese government encouraged them to turn to domestic chipmakers like Huawei.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
15 May 2026
-
Another witness described seeing a woman dragged from a vehicle, pinned against a wall, repeatedly raped and then stabbed, with the assault allegedly continuing after her death.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dallied. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
